Matsuo
| occupation = None | previous occupation = Captain of the | team = None | previous team = Sixth Division | partner = | previous partner = Unknown | base of operations = | marital status = Single | relatives = Unknown | education = | status = Active | shìfàng dìyī = Shàngdìpú | shìfàng dìèrcì = Not Yet Revealed }} Matsuo (松尾, Matsuo) is the former captain of the , who went into self-proclaimed exile due several unspecified problems regarding his lieutenant. He's currently hiding for the in 's , as the aforementioned lieutenant (who was promoted to captain after his departure) didn't hesitate to slander about serious crimes Matsuo is said to have committed. During his days in the Soul Society Matsuo was among the most popular writers in the Seireitei, mostly writing a series of adventurous adult books detailing the tasty life of a silver-haired shinigami-hybrid and his friends. After his exile, has stopped publishing these, but still spends his free time writing poems and common books. After several years, he abandoned the human world and entered Yāolù through a forbidden Kidō developed by Urahara and himself. The arrival in Yāolù became a huge turning point within Matsuo's life. Applying in secret for the Kānshǒuzhì Jiǔ, he took on a guise as undercover agent and infiltrated the illustrious criminal organization Xiī, which had been controlling the underworld of the continent for centuries. He soon became a respected member within the organization, and seeks now to destroy it's core and wipe out the evil it has caused, aswell as writing a book about his adventures and to take up his life as an author again. Appearance Despite the many years he has lived through, Matsuo retains a youthful appearance. He has a rather slim, even frail built, which stands in contrast with his actual physical abilities. He has very long, somewhat spiky red hair which hangs down in bangs that frame his face and is bound together in the back with a silver ornament. His eyes are a warm green, although they have appeared red in some lighting. He commonly wears a silver-gray shirt with short sleeves and three horizontal stripes across his chest, along with a vertical black one across the whole length of the garment. Along with this, he wears a pair of light blue jeans, to fit with his newly-taken-on human alterego. There is no zanpakutō on his person in this outfit, to avoid public ruckus in the , but it has been shown he can summon it through the use of Kidō. During his days as a captain, he wore the traditional , along with a long-sleeved white haori to complete his captain uniform. The Camelia, the 6th Division's symbol, was sewn into the back of his uniform, appropriate for the captain of the latter. His hair was also notably less spiky. His zanpakutō is strapped to his obi, on the right side of his uniform. After taking residence in Yāolù, Matsuo adapted his clothing style to "blend in" with the common people. His attire now consists of a white traditional shenyi, outlined in light blue, along with a ocher shirt underneath which is inscribed with a scarlet crucifix. Below that, he dresses in a light gray hakama with white borders, which is kept up with a silver obi. His long hair is now kept in a braid, reminiscent of ancient chinese warriors. A black scorpion is engraved at the edges of his silk robe, to symbolize position as a member of Xiī. Personality Contrary to the 6th devision's strict adherence to rules, Matsuo is a very loose-knitted, laid-back guy. He has been described as a "continuous dreamer"' by several people on various occasions, and has trouble taking matters and even battles of life and death seriously. It seems his writing is the only thing he really cares about, and his only passion, and he will interrupt anything to write down a new idea in the notebook he keeps in his pocket, even in the midst of battle. Despite his laid-back attitude, he's not lazy, and will jump to anyone's aid should they request it. This was evident during his time in the Gotei 13, where he selflessly saved a little girl from the slums from a collapsing building, despite having no connection at all to her at all. Matsuo's day-dreaming often leads him involuntarily into troubling situations, especially regarding women. noted him to be extremely tactless which was most prominently portrayed when he blatantly asked if had gained weight, which resulted in a painful beating on his part. Because he's not paying attention at most occasions, some enemies see him as a very mysterious fellow, who's hiding his true motives through his uncaring attitude and silence, while it's actually just his natural persona. On later occasions, it is revealed Matsuo still picks up most details he encounters, despite seeming of-earth most of the time. He was able to flawlessly sum up the physical traits of the people he and Kisuke had passed by during their walk, yet couldn't remember what the actual topic of their conversation was. History Not much is known of Matsuo's past before he graduated from the and joined the as the 7th seat of the Sixth division. Being an airhead even during these days, his lack of compassion was looked down upon by the current captain and most of the other members of the division, yet he managed to befriend the 2nd seat whom advised him to take the military more seriously. As the years passed, the captain went sick and when he died, Matsuo, whom had attained his Bankai in that time, volunteered for the position, a short fight with the other candidate quickly turned the tables in his favor. The days of his captaincy were restless ones, as an unstable had created a permanent passage for into the Soul society planes. While the other captains were positioned among the borders to guard the against the monsters, the members of the 12th, 6th and 9th division were sent out to close the garganta an operation which included Matsuo. However, the plan failed partially, and even though the garganta was successfully closed, the captain of the 9th division was lost in combat. The lieutenant of Matsuo at that time, whom was out on the captain position himself, spread the rumors Matsuo had abandoned his teammates in battle and fled to save his own life, while it was actually the cowardly lieutenant who had done such a thing. It was during these times he started to publish his books, and he received great praise and wealth, something which angered his lieutenant even more. The rumors were basically ignored, although slight suspicion regarding Matsuo arose in certain parts of the . Over the years, however, mob wars in the lower parts of forced Matsuo to take drastic measures which didn't please his lieutenant, yet proved effective in the end. Unsatisfied that he still hadn't attained the captain positioned, Matsuo's lieutenant massacred practically a whole district and left behind Matsuo's notebook, which he had stolen from the latter beforehand. The viewed Matsuo as the traitor, and ordered for his arrest, only to discover he had already left. With the Soul Society on his heels, he sought cover at the , and was given a reiatsu-suppressing to start his life as a human. Synopsis Powers & Abilities : As the former captain of the 6th Division Matsuo boasts a great amount of spiritual energy. Urahara commented that he was at least in the league of the most powerful shinigami whom he had encountered. While it is common nowadays that the inability to sense one's spiritual power is a sign of a vast capacity, this is not the case with Matsuo, and his spiritual energy instead affects the mental plane of the victim, troubling their ability to focus, think and partially blurring their eyesight. When fully released, Matsuo's reiatsu can send out a shockwave that tears apart his surroundings and continues to do so for miles, most commonly in a white color, but this can vary. After travelling to Yāolù and acquiring Shàngdìpú, his spiritual power increased exponentially. With a mere gesture of his hand, he could send a wave of reiatsu smashing through a battalion of Kānshǒuzhì Jiǔ soldiers, seriously injuring them in the process. He can release unnamed wisps of spiritual energy from his sword with every slash without any required incantation nor with seemingly any effort from his side. This was later revealed to be his Hǎnjiàogāng technique. It's sheer density peers with, if not overrides, the capabilities of the higher-ups within the Yāolù Militia, and helped Matsuo gaining an illustrious reputation within Yāolù after nothing but several weeks. *'Shēnxīn Héyī Jīhuó' (身心合一激活, Mind-Body Unity Activation); A technique Matsuo developed upon entering Xiī, it is a technique that cannot be used involuntarily and is thus mostly used on subordinates. By placing his hand on a spiritually gifted's forehead, he can draw out that person's word soul (言霊, kotodama). By then concentrating reiryoku into his finger, he can engrave a single word within this soul, before pushing it back within the body of the subject. Whatever this word is, it will enhance the person's abilities and/or will with it's meaning, allowing for a temporal "super-boost". As stated before, this technique cannot be used on unwilling targets to deprive them of their ability to fight, nor can it be used on Matsuo himself. : Despite his attitude, Matsuo is an extremely skilled fighter able to take on multiple captain-level opponents at once. Attributing to his personality, he uses a very aloof, random fighting style, where he can seem off-guard and dreaming while effortlessly parrying every strike send at him. When put on the offensive, his zanjutsu resembles drunken boxing, consisting of random assaults and retreats, in such a way even the most skilled of opponents cannot keep up, as there is no visible pattern within his attacks. He can effortlessly dodge multi-sided, high-level attacks casually, making it seem even like he isn't paying attention at all to the fight. Matsuo's most striking characteristic is the ease and grace with which he defeats his enemies. Matsuo fights in consummate form; with just a flick of wrist, the barest hint of athleticism and not even a single sign of interest or awareness of his opponent's attacks. The economy of movements stands in stark contrast with the blood, sweat and toil of other warriors. *'Kensū no Ichi: Nadegiri' (数壱撫で斬り, "The First: Killing Stroke"): This basic technique allows for a precision cut of extreme force and speed, it can casually slice through large, multi-story high opponents. The opponent can be killed with one swift slash so precise, that they aren't even aware of until after it has taken place. When performed by Matsuo, the technique had an effect akin to 's release, namely cutting apart every building in the victim's vicinity aswell. *'Kensū no Natsu: Yūgenkiru' (数弐幽玄斬る, "The Second: Unseen Slaughter"): Introduced namelessly by former captain during a battle in the where he cut down four captain-level opponents, this sword technique allows for multiple powerful cuts within an incredibly short window of time, which all appear parallel to eachother. The technique does have a catch, and that is that the user is left wide open during it's use, so it's required that the targets are distracted before Yūgenkiru executed. : On various occasions, Matsuo has shown the ability to move from one place to another in an incredibly short span of time. His speed is great enough to effortlessly outstrip several captain-level opponents and deceive opponents into thinking they are faster then him, while Matsuo had actually arrived long before they did. In combination with his dreamer-like attitude, he could frighten an opponent by telling a story while stepping from one place to another at rapid speeds, so fast the victim could barely comprehend any of his locations. It should be mentioned he performed this feat while lying down, showing he apparently can teleport from one place to another while remaining in his casual, laid-back position. He can seemingly teleport from one instance to another within the blink of an eye, throwing up a pillar of dirt and rubble at his area of departure seconds later. : While he prefers to engage in bladed combat as opposed to unarmed fights, Matsuo can still hold his own when outnumbered with hakuda alone. He doesn't actually deliver many strikes, instead relying on a combination of Taihenjutsu and his "drunken" style of combat to dodge or counter incoming attacks almost carelessly, until he sees an opening to draw his blade. Still, he's no match for those whom specialize in unarmed combat. High Intellect: Matsuo has shown great intellect, although it is mostly considered unusual when compared to other smart figures. He's someone to "keep his mind open for the possibilities", and uses randomly improvised strategies in battle which may seem dumb or irrelevant at first. Most opponents (and even allies) fail to recognize this intellect, only to be taken by surprise when his at first crazy plan works out perfectly for him. He doesn't believe in the benefits of planning ahead, and can easily adapt his schemes to sudden revelations about the enemy or the environment, granting him an advantage during ambushes and other unforeseen happenings. Enhanced Strength: Despite his slim figure, Matsuo seems to boast a great degree of physical strength, and can easily stop the punch of a man several times bigger than him with one hand. On several occasions, he has been seen interrupting an opponent's assault of attacks to ask him an unrelated question (mostly about the weather), with nothing but two fingers on the flat sides of the blade. But even then, his strength is still quite average when compared to other captain-level fighters, probably because of the many hours he spend behind a desk, writing, while others would spend it on exercise and training. : Matsuo has displayed his knowledge of high level Kidō spells, able to cast several in quick succession without the incantation and with almost no effort and still possessing formidable power. He has shown the ability to mix up both high and low Hadō and Bakudō spells and hide Kidō within other Kidō to ensure an extra surprise. After his defection, his mastery improved even more under the tutelage of Urahara, although the full extent of these new capabilities hasn't been revealed yet. It was shown that he could cast an intentionally-weakened spell without using his body as a catalyst, to overpower several Adjuchas hollow without much effort from his side. Shénzhǔjiá Shàngdìpú (上帝僕, Servant of the Highest Sovereign) is the name of Matsuo's Shénzhǔjiá, which' spirit he acquired after killing it's previous owner. When sealed, it takes the form of a singled-bladed chinese zhanmadao, with a sterling black blade. Due it's size, Matsuo is forced to carry it slantwise across his back, instead of at his hip, like his zanpakutō. The blade is more curved than other chinese swords, resembling a japanese katana in some aspects. Despite it's length, which is actually still quite modest in proportion to other swords of the same type, Matsuo has showed excellent ability to wield it in close-range battles, once again proving his mastery of zanjutsu. ::Hǎnjiàogāng (喊叫鋼, Screeching Steel); Despite being one of his more recently-acquired powers, this technique has become one of Matsuo's signature moves, and one of his most often-utilized powers. It is a powerful energy attack that fires a concentrated, rose white-colored blast(s) of spiritual power in the shape of a spiraling column. The power behind the attack is enough to grind through buildings and trees. Although the attack is commonly accompanied with a slashing motion, this is no perquisite for the technique, as it can be charged instantly, without even mentioning the name. Matsuo can adapt the shape, density and pathway of the attack, allowing for turns and twists even after Hǎnjiàogāng is launched. Hǎnjiàogāng remains usable throughout Matsuo's Shìfàng Dìyī and Shìfàng Dìèrcì, and increases in power, speed and durability with every release. *'Shìfàng Dìyī:' It's release command is "Shatter the Soul" (魂を打ち砕く, tamashī o uchikudaku). The release is accompanied by an immense outburst of reiatsu, shaped like a chinese dragon, which curls up around Matsuo and then exhales a decimating shockwave. Matsuo's Shìfàng Dìyī can be compared as a release midway of a and an , although Shàngdìpú himself has stated Matsuo has yet to learn the through workings behind his Shénzhǔjiá. In this form, Matsuo takes on the appearance very much like ancient chinese royalty. His attire consist of a scarlet-lined silver hanfu, covered by a red shenyi, which' edges are marked with a golden-and-black, intricate pattern. The enterity is straped together by a purple silk ribbon. His hands are covered in golden armguards, which offer protection against almost any kind of spiritual attack. Shàngdìpú itself also changes form, becoming more of a double-bladed jian with a flower-shaped hilt and a richly decorated sheath and handle. Matsuo's hair color also changes, becoming black with a green streak to it, and kept together in a ponytail. :Shìfàng Dìyī Special Abilities: Shàngdìpú's ability is Purification of Deeds (証書の精製, shōsho no seisei). Using the reishi scattered within the air as a base, Shàngdìpú forms an undetectable connection between himself and everyone else within his spiritual range, including Matsuo himself. Once an opponent falls prey to Shàngdìpú's influence, it can continue to cleanse his or her karma, and allow itself and it's victim to reach "transcendent perfection". Although the abilities are each largely set within a certain area, the strength of it's effects depend greatly on the opponent's past and deeds, making it a very versatile weapon. What distinguishes Shàngdìpú from other Shénzhǔjiá is the degree to which it's abilities take root and the length of time it's victims are pursued, strapping themselves in the soul of the opponent and never leaving them uninfluenced again. Multiple techniques can be combined within certain situations to enhance their effectiveness and create several side-effects. :*'Hóngliàng' (洪量, "giving of oneself"); Known as the unattached and unconditional generosity, giving without asking anything in return, this technique is the first and most often used of Matsuo's Shìfàng Dìyī abilities. Using this technique, Matsuo can sap energy from his opponent or any of his techniques through his blade, absorbing their spiritual power and using it to replenish his own. Even illusions aren't immune to Hóngliàng's effects. By dispersing incoming attacks within one's body by spinning the reiryoku within one's body in the opposite direction, this technique can absorb any spiritual-based technique, regardless of power, without harming the user. It seems that this technique is affected by the opponent's power level, rising in power when it faces greater victims. Matsuo relates this technique as "giving up ultimate power for the sake of others". :*'Fàngqì' (放棄, "renunciation"); Although the exact implications behind this technique are unrevealed, it seems to revolve around the momentarily removal of powers. If Matsuo should be damaged by any technique the user possesses, that power will be stripped away from him from the time being. The powers return when Shàngdìpú is resealed, and it can only contain up to one technique at a time, meaning when Matsuo wants to negate another ability, he must release hold of the preliminary. Matsuo relates this technique as "freedom of desires and wretched feelings of blood and hatred". :*'Qíngbào' (情報, "transcendental wisdom"); Flaring up with an intense reiatsu, Matsuo's eyes gain a purple hue as the technique activates. This allows him to see "imperfections" within the assault of opponents, allowing him to determine weak points and break attacks with simple gestures. The only downside to this technique that Matsuo must fully concentrate whilst having this "insight" into his opponent's attacks, leaving him unable to perform or any other spiritual attack. Matsuo relates this technique as "understanding the universal flux of being". :*'Zhuàngyáng' (壯陽, "diligence of a strong man"); A technique capable of stripping away any kind of reasonable thoughts within the mind of an opponent, causing them to charge recklessly into attacks, even when severely outnumbered or overpowered. Those with great intelligence have more chances of escaping the technique's effects, but the chances are slight even then. If the victim doesn't succeed in freeing himself, he/she will continue to fight as a berserker until death. Matsuo relates this technique as "mindless heroism with infinite exertion". :*'Xùhánglì' (續航力, "unlimited forbearance"); Known as he practice of exercising patience toward behavior or situations that might not necessarily deserve it, this technique can completely rob an opponent's freedom of movement. If Matsuo's opponent should dodge any attack of his while this technique is activated, he will be completely deprived of his ability to move for a window of five seconds. This will continue until the opponent is struck by Matsuo's blade, where the technique becomes unusable until Matsuo reseals the blade. Matsuo relates this technique as "bearing unwavering patience as a gift to others". :*'Yǎnzhēnlǐ' (儼真理, "truth of the noble ones"); Unknown :*'Zìwǒcèdìng' (自我測定, "resolute determination"); Unknown :*'Dàochùcíài' (到處慈愛, "ubiquitous loving-kindness"); Unknown :*'Níngjìnghéhǎo' (寧靜和好, serene equanimity"); Unknown *'Shìfàng Dìèrcì:' Not Yet Revealed Former Powers & Abilities After obtaining his Shénzhǔjiá, the blade's spirit proved so powerful Matsuo's zanpakutō was completely overwhelmed, effectively fading away within his soul. It's assumed that Matsuo can no longer access these powers. Zanpakutō . In it's sealed state, it takes the form of an aikuchi with a light brown hilt. When unused, he keeps it in a similar light brown sheath, ornamented with several silver linear patterns running down it's length. The sheath is strapped to the right side of his obi, signifying the fact that he's left-handed. *' :' It is released by the command "I want to become" (ワタシハナリタイ, Watashi wa naritai). The release of the blade is accompanied by an enormous outburst of reiatsu from Matsuo's person that is strong enough to throw most spectators to the ground. The blade of Man'yōshū seems to have undergone minor changes, in it's whole still retaining the shape of a nōdachi aikuchi. The blade turns a sterling silver, while the handle becomes notably darker in color, to the point it is almost black in coloration. Unique to Man'yōshū, it's actual powers are not yet accessible in this form, only being initiated when Matsuo utters the second command. It's unknown why Man'yōshū's shikai works this way. :Shikai Special Abilities: Upon stating the second release command Express (表す, Arawasu), Man'yōshū's true shikai form arises. The blade turns into thousands of paper A4 sheets, which fly away from the hilt and form four rows. These rows float just above the other, and circle around Matsuo and his opponent in a continuously moving, column-like array, similar in shape to form. The hilt of Man'yōshū has turned into a traditional chinese ink brush, and is no longer in Matsuo's hands, instead floating around him and being controlled mentally. Man'yōshū's power is to manipulate situations within this circle through writing on the paper sheets, which is ironic since Matsuo's one status as a writer. Matsuo will mostly describe the situation, which is accompanied by the ink brush seperating a paper sheet from a row and writing in kanji what Matsuo dictates. When the situation is described, Matsuo can begin to make changes to it. For example, if he was being attacked by his opponent, he would say: "X is attacking me, yet every strike is blocked by shields rising from the ground". What is described will then occur. There are restrictios to the technique however, whom in a way resemble the real-life rules of role-playing, more especially those regarding godmoding. Matsuo's scriptions cannot directly affect anyone positioned inside the circle (ex. He cannot say "And then X died"), nor can he disregard any of his opponent's abilities or their aftereffects. Except for these two rules, the only thing limiting his abilities is his imagination. The circle is sturdy enough to survive Bankai-level attacks from both in- and outside, although the effects can be overcome by cutting apart the separated sheet of paper that is being inscribed. It is later revealed that Matsuo uses up spiritual energy in proportion to the size of the situations he creates, so any situation that may contain wide-spread devastation not halting within the circle (ex. Creating a black hole, destroying the earth), will most likely cause his death. :*'Ingo' (韻語, Rhyme); Matsuo can call out several paper sheets to form a katana-sized sword, made out of paper. Although it looks frail, it has the sharp- and sturdiness of a regular zanpakutō. This blade has the additional ability to transform into any form given, and can extend and contract at rapid speeds, similar to . Because it is made out of paper, it can also scatter and use the sheets separately as blades, or simply to circumvent obstacles. *' :' Not Yet Revealed }} Quotes Behind the Scenes